Juvenile Swallow - a few of these on Orcombe this morning. The only migrant of note was my first juvenile Willow Warbler of the summer/autumn.
More time scanning the gathering of gulls off the seafront this morning produced at least 1 juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, c10/20+ Mediterranean Gull, c30+ Common Scoter, 2 Little Egret and an overhead, river-bound Greenshank. An Arctic Skua patrolled the periphery of the feeding flock for some time.
A quick look at Maer Rocks revealed 2 Common Tern and at least 5 Mediterranean Gulls.
Off Mudbank - 11 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling, 20 Whimbrel, 18 Mallard, 3 Common Tern, 13+ Mediterranean Gull and 4 Sandwich Tern.
Yesterday off the Imperial rec - 18 Sandwich Tern, 6 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Redshank, 275+ Curlew, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 juvenile Yellow-legged Gull.
A scan of Bull Hill produced 3 Kittiwake, 17 Sandwich Tern, 1 Common Tern and 17 Mediterranean Gull.
Blurry Yellow-legged Gull off the seafront this morning. Almost certainly two present.
One of three juvenile Mediterranean Gulls feeding around Maer Rocks this morning.
Creeping Thistle
Silver-washed Fritillary -several showing well at Blackhill Quarry this afternoon.
Think the above is Stinking Tutsan and below - Small Stinging Nettle. I'd really appreciate confirmation or otherwise.
Walked the dog on the commons with Lu this afternoon - good to see the Tufted Ducks have had some breeding success.
Smaller Tree Mallow - Topsham.
Small Copper - Orcombe Point.
Matt: to me, the small nettle looks like Rubus Tricolour (creeping bramble) which is a favourite of flower arrangers in its cultivated form. Obviously may be totally wrong. I know Tutsan as Hypericum but which one?
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Rupert
Thanks Rupert - have looked online and can see similarities but the stem of this was like stinging nettle - green with hairs but no thorns. Does creeping bramble have nettle-like stem? The leaf shape looks better for nettle than bramble (less pointed in bramble?) from what I can see online, but agree colour looks better for bramble (looks more uniform dark green for small nettle). Chuffed you're enjoying the flowers. Had underestimated how difficult they are. All the best. Matt
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